Martin and Pangloss

Voltaire uses foil characters in Candide as a tool to emphasize his theme. I will take a look at the foil characters Pangloss and Martin in this novel. These two characters couldn’t be more different. If Pangloss was north, Martin would be south. They are polar opposites. Pangloss is so confident in his optimism theory which states that this world is the best of all possible worlds while Martin’s personal experiences convinced him that this world is only filled with evil. Their opposite philosophies can both be traced back to each character’s history. Pangloss was a mentor for the noble in a German castle. The nobles really did enjoy a sheltered life filled with luxury and lavishness. Enjoying the best foods, services, and respect, the nobles perhaps might have a life that is only possible in the best of all possible worlds. As a direct observer to this kind of lifestyle, Pangloss started to form his optimism theory stating that this is the best of all possible worlds. On the other hand, Martin’s tragic past shaped his pessimistic philosophy. His side of the story is understandable as well. He was robbed by his wife and even beaten by his own son. On top of all this, he was even persecuted by the church. Based on his life, he confidently confided in his pessimism theory. Unlike all the other characters in the novel, Martin is actually somewhat believable because he is highly doubtful of everything. This pessimism and doubtful-nature allows him to see through the Parisian con artists and help Candide out. He is also more intellectual and realistic than let’s say a character like Pangloss. However, he’s not completely believable either because his pessimism theory is too extreme. For example, he inaccurately predicts Cacambo’s nature and behavior. When Candide entrusts his loyal side kick Cacambo with the precious stones, Martin told Candide that Cacambo would run away with the money and never come back. His rationale can be justified by his past. If his own wife could rob him, then someone unrelated could definitely rob him as well. However, Martin had miscalculated Cacambo’s loyalty. Cacambo ends up returning to Candide with all the gold. Although the character Martin has flaws, his voice reflects that of Voltaire the most. Voltaire was known for his pessimistic nature. Thus, Voltaire uses Martin as a means to which he can state his own views and philosophies. Even though Martin acts as a voice medium for Voltaire, both Martin’s extreme pessimism and Pangloss’s extreme optimism are both flawed. When Pangloss and Martin are juxtaposed, the flaws of both philosophies come into light as one is too pessimistic and the other is too optimistic. In the conclusion of the novel, Candide realizes that wondering about which philosophy governs life is a waste and that people should “cultivate the garden” which means that they should ignore the philosophies and just live their lives.